v Bristol City (h) - 14/9/2024

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

5 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Eustace doesn’t rate Pears. I think we will see Toth in before you know it

Maybe not next week. The minute Pears has a bad game, he’s finished

I hope he sticks with Beck. Pickering is a liability. He gets beat too easily and backs off too much because he knows he turns like milk - no pace. Beck looks far better

Also hope he brings Cantwell in for Dolan, who breaks up our attacks too often 

I think that’s the plan. Beck would be faster than Pickering running backwards.

[roversfan99]

Pears hasnt made any goal costing big mistakes (question over yesterdays goal but either way it wasnt a big error) but he has made a number of big misjudgements which he has gotten away with. There was one against Derby where he charged out and was fortunate that Mendez Laing couldnt lob him/find a team mate, he made a huge mistake at Norwich where Tronstad made an unbelievable last ditch block and yesterday where he ran out and Foster headed wide with Pears stranded. He has also palmed a number of shots back into dangerous areas. He hasnt made any stand out saves either really. Those mistakes will start to cost us direcly if he continues in net, which I fear he will.

Pickering is really underrated because of his lack of pace. He often makes up for it because he positions himself well and reads the game well. He has played well in the first 3 games and I wouldnt mind whoever of the 2 starting at left back v Bristol City.

[tomphil]

17 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

How many goals have we conceded already this season?

How many has he thrown in the net ?

[JeffRover]

By the way what is the state of fitness of the new signings?

I presume Toth it fit. Baker too. Duberry on the bench against the Dingles but not utilised. Has Cantwell had a minute of football in pre - season?

[Dreams of 1995]

It is what Pears doesn’t do that makes him a bad goalkeeper

There were a couple of occasions yesterday where he should have screamed at the defenders that it was his ball and collected it. Instead, he stayed on his line and said nothing, allowing the defenders to make a rushed clearance or header back towards Burnley’s midfield. That’s why he is a bad goalkeeper. He has zero command of his area

[Dreams of 1995]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Pickering is really underrated because of his lack of pace. He often makes up for it because he positions himself well and reads the game well. He has played well in the first 3 games and I wouldnt mind whoever of the 2 starting at left back v Bristol City.

You must be watching a different game to me

Pickering allows crosses in consistently. He gets beat with a simple one two and if the player has any room to knock it past him he is finished

Pickering can attack and defend if he’s running to the ball. As a full back, you have to defend whilst running back. Pickering can’t do that. He backs off way too much and at times has cost us goals by letting the player shoot too easily 

[M_B]

Barring injury, I'd be very surprised if Eustace changed a back 5 plus 2 midfielders that haven't lost a game. 

Ohashi definitely starts, so perm 3 from about 8 for the other 3 places. 

[Upside Down]

4 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

If you've paid £1m for a GK and he's not immediately in the starting line up over Pears then you've wasted £1m.

100% right 👍

[Exiled_Rover]

16 minutes ago, M_B said:

Barring injury, I'd be very surprised if Eustace changed a back 5 plus 2 midfielders that haven't lost a game. 

Ohashi definitely starts, so perm 3 from about 8 for the other 3 places. 

A back 5 that are yet to keep a clean sheet?

[Paul Mani]

This is the squad / team I would start for Bristol:         

                     Toth

Brittain.  Carter.  Hyam.  Beck

         Travis.     Sonny

Weimann.  Dolan.   Hedges

                 Ohashi

Pears, JRC, Batth, Pickering, Baker, Buckley, ACD, Cantwell, Tyjon

Subs at 60mins:
ACD for Weimann and Cantwell for Hedges (Dolan out to left)

Rovers to win 3-0 (Ohashi, Weimann, Dolan)

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, M_B said:

Barring injury, I'd be very surprised if Eustace changed a back 5 plus 2 midfielders that haven't lost a game. 

Ohashi definitely starts, so perm 3 from about 8 for the other 3 places. 

Its better to fix things before they cost us points rather than after.

We have not kept a clean sheet and Pears has made a number of errors that thankfully/luckily for him didnt lead to goals.

[London blue]

8 hours ago, tomphil said:

How many has he thrown in the net ?

Is this the only point at which you would question him?

"He hasn't fucked up yet so there's no reason to try proactively improve the team" feels like a shitty mentality to me.

[davulsukur]

8 hours ago, JeffRover said:

By the way what is the state of fitness of the new signings?

I presume Toth it fit. Baker too. Duberry on the bench against the Dingles but not utilised. Has Cantwell had a minute of football in pre - season?

I think (could be wrong) that all apart from Cantwell will be fully fit, as they've all been playing/had a pre-season.

Cantwell was involved in Rangers pre-season early doors (and scored in a friendly, early July) but wasn't involved with their first team or reserves, once he'd said he wanted to leave (mid July(ish) I think). So he's probably a bit behind with fitness.

[M_B]

8 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

A back 5 that are yet to keep a clean sheet?

Fair comment,if he was to change things, I suppose it would give some idea who he blames. 

[M_B]

7 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Its better to fix things before they cost us points rather than after.

We have not kept a clean sheet and Pears has made a number of errors that thankfully/luckily for him didnt lead to goals.

I just can't see him changing that 7 at the back, but I suppose we'll see. It isn't just Pears he'll be looking at over the next 2 weeks. 

[Torgeir]

Easier to change the team around based on training after a couple of weeks without a match. If we had one coming up Tuesday or next weekend, then I'm sure he would've kept the same eleven intact - more or less.

I think Pickering is back in, and wouldn't dropping Pears now put more pressure on Toth? 

[CambridgeRover]

11 hours ago, tomphil said:

You'd avoid exactly what iv'e said and there is no way Leo is a bad overall as he showed at times he clearly wasn't reay for the rough and tumble.

Neither will this lad be yet, what's to gain by throwing him in whilst we are unbeaten and seeing him make a fuck up and destroy his own confidence before he's got going.....like Leo.

You say play your best players yet we are unbeaten and up the league are we not.

A lot of assumptions here and no evidence behind them.

The new lad could be ready. He could have a fantastic debut and lift his confidence. 

I have no idea what point you are trying to make about best players and unbeaten. Maybe the new keeper might have got us even more points as Pears has looked suspect every game

[chaddyrovers]

10 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

 

If Brittain is injured, then it has to be JRC. All this shite about him not suiting Eustace's football, which I don't really get as he is good going forward and a better defender than Brittain. He wouldnt have to do the exact same role as he did under Tomasson but Duru is still very raw and Rankin Costello has proven to be a very capable right back in this league. Plus he should be well down the pecking order further forward.

So why did Duru come on instead of JRC on Saturday? 

JRC suited the invert full back role under JDT, under Eustace we don't play that way with his right back but his right side midfielder/ winger hence with JRC has been playing that role with Brittain at right back providing the width like he did. 

[Mike E]

9 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

So why did Duru come on instead of JRC on Saturday? 

JRC suited the invert full back role under JDT, under Eustace we don't play that way with his right back but his right side midfielder/ winger hence with JRC has been playing that role with Brittain at right back providing the width like he did. 

Wouldn’t inverted full back mean JRC played off the left under JDT? I don’t recall him ever doing that, but I know Hedges did quite a lot.

Always thought JRC played off the right and then tucked into midfield rather than playing inverted.

Not saying you’re wrong, I just don’t recall him playing inverted.

[arbitro]

10 hours ago, JeffRover said:

By the way what is the state of fitness of the new signings?

I presume Toth it fit. Baker too. Duberry on the bench against the Dingles but not utilised. Has Cantwell had a minute of football in pre - season?

There are two under 21 games scheduled before we play Bristol City (Tuesday 3rd and Thursday 12th). Hopefully some of the players needing game time will play a part in these.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, London blue said:

Is this the only point at which you would question him?

"He hasn't fucked up yet so there's no reason to try proactively improve the team" feels like a shitty mentality to me.

I'd say it's a quite a fair and balanced mentality to be honest.

All this x,y,z would've saved that on Saturday etc is quite frankly bollocks unless you are talking about keepers like Pickford etc.

We've signed another keeper who has no experience of English football and hasn't cost millions so it's another punt. lets give this one chance to settle in before he comes in, lets a goal in then gets called shite eh.

[tomphil]

57 minutes ago, CambridgeRover said:

A lot of assumptions here and no evidence behind them.

The new lad could be ready. He could have a fantastic debut and lift his confidence. 

I have no idea what point you are trying to make about best players and unbeaten. Maybe the new keeper might have got us even more points as Pears has looked suspect every game

Isn't expecting the new lad to be an instant massive upgrade on Pears the main giant assumption here ?

Exactly the same that was being trotted out when Leo was signed 'oh he should be straight in we haven't paid a fee just to be back up'

I suggested that was exactly the case at that stage and he'd be eased in, injuries meant he wasn't and it back fired spectacularly.

Why in gods name would anyone want a repeat of that ?

We've no idea what the plan is but again i'd suggest this lad is here to settle in and provide direct competition with Pears for the number one.  He hasn't been bought to throw straight in just on the assumption everyone thinks he's a bit better, going out the cup hasn't helped but he'll get his chance when he's ready.

I might be wrong but we'll see.

Edited September 2 by tomphil

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, M_B said:

I just can't see him changing that 7 at the back, but I suppose we'll see. It isn't just Pears he'll be looking at over the next 2 weeks. 

I dont think he will. Im saying that I think he should.

34 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

So why did Duru come on instead of JRC on Saturday? 

JRC suited the invert full back role under JDT, under Eustace we don't play that way with his right back but his right side midfielder/ winger hence with JRC has been playing that role with Brittain at right back providing the width like he did. 

You are again confusing that what I think Eustace will do isnt necessarily what I think he should do. Duru came on because he seemingly is higher in the pecking order as a right back, I dont agree that he should be.

And as I said, if he played at right back it wouldnt have to be in the exact same way that he did under Tomasson. He could play as a right back in a different way, and I still feel he would be effective there. Moreso than Duru who I think is still very raw. He wouldnt have to come inside like he did under Tomasson, IMO he could hold the width a bit more and still be effective.

I also think that he is well down the pecking order out wide and in central midfield, ie the 2 positions where Eustace has played him, and neither of which he has been effective in. So unless he is considered at right back, he will struggle to get any game time which would be wasteful.

[roversfan99]

2 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Isn't expecting the new lad to be an instant massive upgrade on Pears the main giant assumption here ?

Exactly the same that was being trotted out when Leo was signed 'oh he should be straight in we haven't paid a fee just to be back up'

I suggested that was exactly the case at that stage and he'd be eased in, injuries meant he wasn't and it back fired spectacularly.

Why in gods name would anyone want a repeat of that ?

We've no idea what the plan is but again i'd suggest this lad is here to settle in and provide direct competition with Pears for the number one.  He hasn't been bought to throw straight in just on the assumption everyone thinks he's a bit better, going out the cup hasn't helped but he'll get his chance when he's ready.

I might be wrong but we'll see.

Wahlstedt wasnt chucked straight in, he came into the team in October out of necessity when Pears was injured.

[tomphil]

5 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Wahlstedt wasnt chucked straight in, he came into the team in October out of necessity when Pears was injured.

What iv'e clearly been saying is he wasn't ready if you'd read previous posts you might have gauged that i already mentioned it was necessity but my reading of it was the plan would have been to let him have several months training then ease him in.

Which is the point i'm trying to press now with this lad because i'm looking at the bigger picture and learning from the Wahlsted farce.  Although having said that i trust Eustace is better to make that call than JDT was simply from knowing this league so much better.

Bear in mind it's likely  a lot of those who clamoured for Leo to go straight in were probably amongst the first to write him off when they'd seen him.

We are in a decent position so lets have some fucking patience for once on here.